Citation

Karagiorgou O, Cullen B. J. Loss Trauma 2016; 21(6): 589-600.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15325024.2016.1161427

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is known to occur following acquired brain injury (ABI). It is not yet known to what extent PTG experiences following ABI are unique to the neurological nature of the injury. We investigated PTG in survivors of ABI or myocardial infarction (MI); MI is comparable to ABI but does not have a primary neurological element. Thirty-three ABI survivors (age M = 51.6, SD = 12.4; 52% male; years since injury M = 5.5, SD = 5.3) and 47 MI survivors (age M = 66.4, SD = 9.9; 79% male, years since injury M = 9.9, SD = 8.6) completed a survey including the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Unadjusted analyses showed no significant group differences on PTGI total score (ABI M = 54.0, SD = 19.6; MI M = 54.6, SD = 23.6; d =.03, p =.902) or on any of the five subscales, but analyses adjusted for covariates showed that scores on "Relating to others" were higher in participants with ABI (unstandardized coefficient = 5.43; 95% CI.27, 10.60; p =.039). Open-ended comments revealed aspects of growth in both samples that were not directly captured by the five PTGI factors.

Language: en